Republican Rep. David Livingston of Peoria frustrated his fellow representatives on Tuesday when, during voting on a half-dozen bills, he stood to “explain his vote” but actually described his experiences over the weekend at the Bundy Ranch in Nevada.

After a week of political bargaining over the state budget that included a failed attempt to consider the spending package on the floor and an emotionally charged press conference declaring negotiations had broken down, Republicans in the House of Representatives banded together to approve a $9.24 billion spending plan for the 2015 fiscal year late Thursday night.

Maricopa County Supervisors unanimously voted to appoint longtime Phoenix Democrat Norma Muñoz to the LD27 House seat vacated by former Rep. Ruben Gallego, who left office to seek a congressional nomination.

The conservative advocacy group, Center for Arizona Policy, which was behind legislation such as SB 1062 and attempts to restrict abortions has too much power over the Legislature, Democratic leaders said Tuesday.